How to Stop Alopecia Areata from Spreading: Effective Tips

Sudden hair loss, scalp patchiness, and baldness can make a person feel alarmed and insecure. One of the widely known medical conditions that affect normal hair growth is ‘Alopecia Areata’. To identify whether your hair deficiency results from this condition, the first step is understanding what causes alopecia areata spreading and how to prevent it.

Furthermore, while there is no staple treatment for the condition, potential alopecia areata clinical trials can help people manage it better.

Taking a closer look at Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that originates in random and small patches anywhere on the body. Initially, these patches are insignificant, but they tend to become obscure, prominent, and bigger with time. This condition is triggered by an autoimmune response in which the body inadvertently attacks the hair follicles. Consequently, hair weakens, thins out, and eventually falls off. Alopecia areata spreading can occur all over the body but it primarily targets the scalp.

Common triggers of Alopecia Areata

Why do people get alopecia areata? The answer to this question is different for everyone depending on their background, genetics, and medical history. However, the most common triggers that lead to this condition are as follows:

When it comes to factors that trigger alopecia areata, stress is a household name. This condition was linked to psychological stress in nearly twice the number of patients compared to those who did not experience stress.

DNA is a common defining feature of this condition. Statistically, 20% of patients with alopecia areata have a family member with the same condition.

Furthermore, individuals suffering from specific health conditions, including allergies, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, thyroid, and vitiligo, exhibit a higher propensity for alopecia areata spreading.

Additionally, nutritional deficiencies (vitamin D, biotin, amino acids, zinc, B3) can also elevate the chances of alopecia areata.

Types of Alopecia Areata

Before learning how to stop alopecia areata from spreading, it is beneficial to differentiate between its types.

Alopecia universalis:

This is the most severe stage of alopecia where all hair from your body is lost, including the scalp and face.

Patchy alopecia areata:

Being the most common type of alopecia, it is characterized by minor patches of baldness anywhere across the body.

Alopecia totalis:

In this type, there is total hair loss on the scalp and the affected individual goes completely bald.

Ophiasis alopecia areata:

This type of areata affects the sides and lower back of your scalp and the hair is lost in the form of bands.

Alopecia incognita:

Also known as diffuse alopecia areata, this type does not cause bald patches, rather it sparks thinning of hair all over the head.

Alopecia barbae:

In this form, alopecia areata spreading is stimulated on the beard.

Early onset alopecia areata:

It refers to alopecia areata that targets children. As stated by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, 1 in 1000 children suffer from pediatric alopecia.

Tracing the symptoms of Alopecia Areata

Apart from the main symptom of nonscarring patchy hair loss, there are few other physical effects of alopecia areata:

Itchiness and redness

White hair

Brittle, pitted, or red nails or lesions

Follicular ostia

Pigmentation on patchy areas

Diagnosing Alopecia Areata:

To diagnose alopecia areata spreading, medical professionals take the following measures:

Firstly, they examine the pattern and type of hair loss. For further clarity, they may study samples of skin and hair strands under the microscope to identify the cause.

Secondly, they take details of the patient’s medical history and diseases running in the family.

Sometimes they may advise a biopsy of the scalp cells to check for infections or underlying conditions.

Occasionally, doctors recommend blood tests to check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Hair loss treatment options

Procedures that reduce alopecia areata spreading are picked based on the following factors:

Condition’s severity

Patient's age

History and genetics

The affected area

How long has the condition persisted

While there is no single gold standard potential treatment for patchy hair loss, there are some measures one can take to manage the condition:

Applicable corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs that can put a halt to the autoimmune reaction within the body. Typically, they are applied to the affected area. Topical corticosteroids are the best form of treatment for children due to their mildness, convenience, and effectiveness.

Corticosteroid injections

In some alopecia areata patients, creams are too mild to solve the issue. Alternatively, injections are more powerful and specific to their target. Corticosteroids injections replicate the effects of cortisol, a hormone that is naturally synthesized by the adrenal glands in the body. These medications are administered via injection directly into areas experiencing hair loss to promote the regeneration of hair. Subsequently, this stimulates hair growth in areas with alopecia.

Topical immunotherapy

This method employs cases of significant hair loss or when alopecia areata is spreading excessively. During this, professionals administer chemicals in the scalp to induce an allergic response. If successful, this reaction is responsible for stimulating hair regrowth. However, it may also lead to an itchy rash and typically requires multiple applications to sustain the newly grown hair.

Intake of Minoxidil

Another remedy against alopecia areata spreading is oral minoxidil. Minoxidil is a topical medication utilized for the treatment of both male and female pattern hair loss. Typically, it requires approximately 12 weeks (about 3 months) of application before noticeable hair growth occurs.